August Issue 2003

The AIM Bulletin is the main communication channel for the UKs 1000+ independent museums and heritage organisations - half the total provision for the British Isles - which have been in the forefront of the museum movement for over 25 years.

IN THIS ISSUE 

• Registration must remain user-friendly to small museums, AIM says in its submission to Resource, the Council for Museums, Archives & Libraries, on the new draft standard for the voluntary scheme, which has been successful in improving standards in museums throughout Britain. AIM is concerned that the large number of toolkits and checklists and the level of paperwork involved could deter some of the smaller volunteer-run museums from re-applying for Registration.  Meanwhile the West Sussex Museums Council has also criticised the document saying that the “fundamental essence” of Registration of establishing minimum standards has been lost, and that the package is a “strong disincentive” to museums to re-apply.  The council also felt it was wrong for Resource to seek to impose “continuous improvement” on autonomous and independent museums. Page 1& 2.
  
  
• Resource has decided on priorities for the implementation of the first phase of its Renaissance in the Regions report. The priorities, ranging widely across museum activity, will have to be delivered against the Department for Culture Media & Sport requirements for greater access. These include an additional 500,000 visits to regional museums from social classes C2, D, E and ethnic minorities and an increase in the number of contacts between children and regional museums hubs by 25% in two-three years time. While many museum professionals consider this unrealistic, independent museums are urged to keep abreast of the work of their local hub museums and to try to influence museum provision in their area.  Page 4.
  
  
• AIM has produced the only listing of museum advisers available covering the entire country.  With the demise of area museum councils and the consequent ‘advice gap’ there are fewer sources of help for smaller museums to turn to. The network of museum advisers is growing, however, and they will be able to draw down funds from the new Museum Development Fund. AIM’s research showed that the picture of museum advice was patchy across the country, but the new list aims to help its members find sources of advice in their own areas.  It is also planned to include the list on this website in the near future.  Page 8 & 9.
  
  
• The two major curatorial staff serving the three museums devoted to inland waterways in England have been made redundant in a re-structuring, only four years after The Waterways Trust was founded by British Waterways to bring them together.  Tony Conder, curator, and David McDougall, keeper of collections, between them possess much of the knowledge available on the subject of inland waterways and canal craft. The Waterways Trust’s new director, Mike Brooksbank, said the restructuing followed disappointing visitor numbers, but a former director of The Boat Museum, Tony Hirst, says the trust failed to ensure minimum standards across the various disciplines involved with the operation of the museums. Page 16
  
  

Also in this issue 

• Haslemere Educational Museum’s re-launch
• Rural Life Centre, Farnham, celebrates 30 years
• York Minster library decision highlights HLF monitoring procedures
• Personal View from Bill Ferris, AIM Vice chairman, on leadership
• Chatham Historic Dockyard completes major development programme
• More support for designated museums
• Nationals and regional museums get together for education programmes
• Museum Profile this issue – National Horseracing Museum
  
  

Plus

Information on AIM’s latest events, AIM’s Trading Survey, the Bob Harding Training Fund Bursaries and FOCUS information papers, and the two-page AIM Directory – 30+ providers of products and services for the museum sector.
Further information contacts:  Sam Mullins, AIM chairman - Tel 020 7379 6344.  Fax 020 7565 7250.   Email  samm@ltmuseum.co.uk.  Diana Zeuner, AIM Bulletin editor - Tel/Fax 01243 811364.  Email  heavyhorse@mistral.co.uk.